The Federal High Court in Abuja preside by Justice Anwuli Chikere has approved an order seeking to compel the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest and prosecute The former Edo state Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

An “anti-corruption crusader,” Osadolor Ochei,had filed the application before the High Court,accused the former Governor of diverting Edo State funds for personal use when he was governor.

The Judge, who also ordered that the anti-graft agency be also served with the court process, stressed that the service be done within five days from October 9, 2018, when the order was made.

Bishop Ochei’s counsel, Dr West-Idahosa while arguing a motion ex-parte filed in Suit No FHC/ABJ/CS/628/ 2018 urged the Court to allow Oshiomhole and the EFCC, who are the respondents in the suit to file a reply to the weighty allegations made against them by the Applicant in support of the Federal Government’s anti-corruption fight.

Ochei’s lawyers, West Idahosa, presented 86 exhibits before the court, and said documents and pictures of the governor’s houses were available, “whose earnings all his life cannot acquire” and vouchers of airfares whose amount “are enough to buy air carrier for the Edo State people.”

He said there are receipts of how the ex-governor used huge amount of money of the state to repair his private vehicles and urged the court to grant the relief of his client, saying that EFCC has arrested and prosecuted lesser crimes and there is no reason why the anti-graft agency should ignore the petition.

Bishop Ochei, in the motion, wants the court to declare that the anti-graft agency has the statutory duty to investigate and prosecute the former governor, upon his allegations against him in line with the Act, establishing the commission.

The allegations bother on the diversion of Edo state fund by the former governor, now the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to his personal use.

According to him, “On May 4, 2012, one Matthew Edaghese sent a petition to the EFCC, complaining that while serving as governor, Oshiomhole built mansions on a huge expanse of land worth more than N10 billion, in excess of the former governor’s legitimate means of income as governor.

‎”That EFCC did nothing about the petition”, Bishop Ochei stated and added that he had, in 2016 petitioned against Oshiomhole’s corrupt practices without any action by the EFCC.

He accused the former governor of corruptly enriching himself with the fund of the Edo state government.

Justice Chikere adjourned till 23rd October 2018 for arguments from all the parties in the matter.